They threatened to cross the floor to stop the trade they felt was so heinous. But when it came to a vote on Monday, Liberal MPs Sussan Ley and Sarah Henderson staged a change of heart and used their deciding votes to prevent a debate on a ban on the live animal export trade.

As backbenchers the pair led a government backlash against the live export trade after horrific footage showing the deaths of thousands of sheep en route to the Middle East last year emerged. They even proposed their own bill to stop the trade.

Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories Sussan Ley, with ministers Kelly O'Dwyer and Melissa Price during a division on the live export bill on Monday.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

That was within grasp on Monday, when a private member's bill sponsored by the Greens and crossbenchers to stop the trade passed the Senate 31 votes to 28.

Just two votes were required to approve it in the House of Representatives but Ms Ley and Ms Henderson, who were recently elevated to the outer ministry in Scott Morrison's reshuffle, voted against moves to bring it on for debate.

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To cross the floor, they would have needed to quit their ministerial positions.

The pair then also rejected Labor attempts to bring on a debate in the House on their own bill. Their two votes made the difference with the bill going down 70-72.

Labor's agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon said the pair had put their political interests ahead of animal welfare.

“Sussan Ley and Sarah Henderson sponsored a bill to phase-out the live sheep export trade and made passionate speeches in support of their proposal," Mr Fitzgibbon said.

"But today they put their own political careers ahead of their policy convictions.

"Given the 72-70 result, their votes were the difference."

Assistant Minister for Social Services, Housing and Disability Services Sarah Henderson during a division on the bill.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

In a joint statement, Ms Henderson and Ms Ley said Labor's actions "were a disingenuous attempt to disrupt Parliament masquerading behind the cause of animal welfare".

"As members of the ministry, it is no longer open to us to support any private member’s bill or the bill passed by the Senate today," they said.

"Our personal conviction on this issue remains and we will continue to advocate for a change in Coalition policy and for a phase-out of this awful trade.

"Combined with advocacy from many thousands of Australians, we are pleased our strong stand along with the Minister for Agriculture’s determination to hold the regulator to account, has resulted in the shutting down of the industry’s biggest offender.

"The impending release of the Moss Review provides the government with a further opportunity to impose tough new rules relating to live exports."

But Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie warned their actions were exactly the type causing the public's distrust in politicians.

"And then we'll wonder why the community has no time for politicians, it's because the community thinks that words are worthless unless they're backed up by action," he said.

Senator Tim Storer, one of the crossbenchers who sponsored the bill in the Senate, said he had been contacted by 5000 Australians seeking a ban to the trade.

"Recent polling by the RSPCA found that four out of five South Australians want to end live exports," he said.

"Nationwide the figure is three out of four, notably including almost 7 out of every 10 Australians in rural and country areas."

Latika Bourke is a reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age based in London. She has previously worked for Fairfax Media, the ABC and 2UE in Canberra. Latika won the Walkley Award for Young Australian Journalist of the Year in 2010.